The present invention relates to a lock-up clutch provided in a torque converter for automobiles or the like.
Generally, a lock-up clutch of a torque converter is designed to directly connect an input portion and an output portion of the torque converter together when a speed ratio of the input and output portions is nearly 1:1. By the use of the lock-up clutch, a torque transmission efficiency of the torque converter can be increased. However, in the conventional lock-up clutch, a piston-clutch plate connectable to the input portion of the torque converter and a damper disc connected to the output shaft are separately disposed. The clutch plate and the disc are axially aligned and are designed to be connected together. Therefore, the lock-up clutch has a large axial size, which undesirably increases the size of the torque converter.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved lock-up clutch ,overcoming the above disadvantage.
The essence of the present invention is to provide a lock-up clutch, wherein a side plate itself or a damper disc is adapted to be pressed to an input portion of a torque converter.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.